# Accident 20200920016179A: Piper PA-32-301, Kokomo, IN, September 20, 2020 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 20, 2020, 10:57 local time - Place: Kokomo, IN - Airport: Glenndale Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Landing: Approach - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 40.5293° N, 86.1708° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5293&lon=-86.1708&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8213X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8213X-2021-10-30) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-32-301 (registry code 7103207, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-301) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-301 - People aboard: 4 - Fatal injuries: 3 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,115 total, 100 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20LA401](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA401) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200920016179A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SUNDAY MORNING; SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FROM THE GLENNDALE AIRPORT (8I3), LOCATED IN KOKOMO, INDIANA. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS A ?REWARD? FOR THREE VOLUNTEERS THAT WERE WORKING A ?CHARITY FLY-IN? EVENT LATER THAT MORNING AT GLENNDALE. THE FLIGHT OPERATED UNDER PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS PROVIDED. AT APPROXIMATELY 10:57 LOCAL TIME, THE FLIGHT STRUCK A UTILITY POLE AS IT APPROACHED RUNWAY 18 AT GLENNDALE. THE POLES ARE APPROXIMATELY 70 FEET TALL AND WERE STRUCK BY THE LANDING GEAR OF N8213X. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED QUICKLY AS IT ROLLED INVERTED, AND CAME TO REST FACING EAST, APPROXIMATELY 160 FEET FROM THE POLES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED BY A POST-CRASH FIRE. THE NOSE GEAR WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET SOUTHEAST OF THE POLES. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS LOCATED NEAR THE POLES AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET SOUTHWEST OF THE POLES. THE ACCIDENT SCENE IS APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 18. THE AIRPORT FACILITY GUIDE SHOWS A 292 FOOT DISPLACED THRESHOLD FOR RUNWAY 18 DUE TO THE ASSOCIATED POWER LINES, AS THE POLES ARE IN THE APPROACH PATH FOR RUNWAY 18. THE PILOT?S LOGBOOK ENTRIES SHOW THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCE OPERATING IN AND OUT OF THE GLENNDALE AIRPORT AND USED RUNWAY 18 SEVERAL TIMES AS RECENTLY AS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 WITH A LOCAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. PILOTS THAT WERE HOLDING AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, STATE THAT RADIO CALLS WERE NORMAL, NO DISTRESS CALLS WERE MADE, BUT IT DID APPEAR THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING THE AIRPORT SLIGHTLY LOW. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE THIRD PASSENGER WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT AND SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES. HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO AN INDIANAPOLIS HOSPITAL BY HELICOPTER FOR TREATMENT. THE PILOT HELD A VALID THIRD CLASS MEDICAL DATED OCTOBER 29, 2019 AND MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS TO OPERATE AS A PRIVATE PILOT. LOGBOOK ENTRIES FOR N8213X SHOWED THAT THE AIRCRAFT MET ALL STANDARD AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTIONS. THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED IF ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT OR MEDICAL INFORMATION IS RECEIVED. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CEN20LA401](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA401), Sep 20, 2020: Piper PA32 (N8213X), Kokomo, IN, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with a utility pole and the subsequent collision with terrain. ## Other reports on N8213X (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19940725030739I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940725030739I), Jul 25, 1994: Piper PA32301 (N8213X), Huntersville, NC, Minor damage. Narrative: on July 25, 1994, aircraft N8213X was involved in an incident which occurred just after takeoff from runway 22 of stanly county airport, albemarle,… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.